"Go home, prepare yourselves."
Kil'Sin'Deres literally picked me up and threw me through the gate with a roar of laughter.
I hit the ground rolling with Soulfire rolling across my body and two Soulblades in my hands. I came to my feet with a snarl and started back toward the gate to find the Shak'Tar pushed through and the gate closed.
I stood staring at the empty space for a minute, then beat the rage down and let the flames die around me.
I turned around to find five people standing in front of a wrecked picnic lunch. Lyrica, Paige, Kyra, and Mattie all stood with their hands on their hips with that, oh so familiar, look. Prada was just shaking her head.
"What?"
"Secret mission," Paige said, "What part of that didn't you understand?"
"It's not my fault," I said.
"Sure it's not,"
"Seriously, it was just bad luck."
"Sure."
Paige shook her head, "Welcome home."
Lyrica was in my arms as soon as she was sure Paige was through berating me.
She was staring into my eyes as she watched all that had occurred in Hub. I extended my telepathy out so all of them could see what happened. It was similar to one of the Shak'Tar's memory dumps. I figured it would save time.
"You wrote it on the walls of a building in the middle of the biggest city on their world?" Kyra asked.
"It seemed appropriate," I said.
"True enough," Mattie said.
Chapter 20
The Prophet led Bel and her squad up through the stairway of the building. She couldn't believe what they had become capable of in the short time since she had learned how to tie her Soulstream into the knot.
"Why are we climbing the stairs of a building in the heart of the Master's city?" Seldin asked.
"Do not question orders, Seldin," Bel said.
"It's ok, Bel," the Prophet said, "I have heard rumors of something very interesting that occurred yesterday. I want to see it for myself. I felt you would enjoy it as well, so here we are."
"What is it, Prophet?"
"We'll see, together, Bel," he said with a grin.
She followed as the Prophet jumped up through the center of the stairwell that led from the bottom to the top of the building. He cleared several stories and grabbed a railing. Then he launched upwards for another.
Bel and her squad of nine of The Prophet's Guard launched themselves upwards as the Prophet had done.
When they reached the top of the building, they exited onto the roof.
Bel had never been this high except when climbing cliffs. She looked out in awe at the sea of rooftops that she saw leading off into the distance.
"It should be on the East end of the building," the Prophet said and walked to the left.
He looked over the edge and his shoulders started to shake. Bel thought he was sobbing for a second.
"Prophet?" she asked in worry.
He turned with a wide grin on his face and she realized it was laughter instead of sobbing that shook his shoulders. He slowly just sat down with his back leaning against the escarpment and laughed.
She stepped up to the edge and looked down.
Her squad were some of the highest educated of her people. Since the Prophet had found them, they had learned to read and write. The Prophet said it was a useful skill and she took his words to heart.
What she saw brought a great smile to her face. In huge letters, created by holes blown in the side of the building was a single word.
Rash'Tor'Ri.
She heard the Prophet muttering under his breath in the language she was in the process of learning, the language of the Prophet.
"Crazy son of a bitch."
***
I sat behind a desk at the Academy in Montana. The gate had dropped me off at the same spot where we had set off nearly a week before.
There had been people stationed at all times in the clearing to be there when I returned.
Pure luck had played a part in who had been there to greet me.
They had just replaced the squad that had been standing guard only about fifteen minutes before I had been hurled through the gate.
"So let me have it," I said, "Who is this Prophet and what's he doin with the people who disappear?"
I watched his report in his mind.
They had found the prophet within a day's travel of Hub. They snuck into his camp and bypassed his guards.
Both Jag Ritte and Kol Winto had been Shak'Tar I had met before. They were a couple of the original ones I had Marked in Romania.
Both men slipped into the Prophet's tent to find him standing across the tent. His back was to them and he held a sword in each hand. He was working through several stances that were very familiar to me.
"Better be a good reason you snuck into my tent," the voice was very familiar to me as well.
It couldn't be.
"We come from Rash'Tor'Ri," Jag said, "We have come to find out what is going on with the disappearing humans."
"And why would you care?"
"Our Master doesn't wish humans to be hurt in his name. If you are working for the Kresh and causing hurt to the Humans of this world, we will remove you."
"Two brave souls," the Prophet said, "but there's no reason to have issue with me. I am hiding Humans from their former Masters and I am training an army to join Rash'Tor'Ri when he comes here."
"I feel the truth of your words Prophet. We were given orders with this outcome in mind as well."
"And what are those orders?" the Prophet asked and turned around to face the two men.
"No Friggin way!" I interrupted the report.
"Master, what is it?"
"Whatever that man asks for, you give," I said, "Any help he needs, he gets. From Shak'Tar, Human, or Kresh. Any of my clans are to support the Prophet. The people he is hiding can be taken to Cerres. Make sure he knows everything that occurred there."
"You know him," Jag said.
"Damn right, I know him and I thought he was dead," I said, "Just info dump the rest on me and get back there as soon as possible. Get word to the Prophet, Gorvelis, and Kil'Sin'Deres. This guy is to be protected."
"Yes Master," he said and dropped the information on me and turned around. He left quickly.
I sat back in thought and Lyrica walked in to find me sitting there with a goofy grin on my face.
I said two words to her, "He's alive!"
My friend lives.
Rictor Hughes had somehow been sucked into that gate he had blown up and come out over there and they call him Prophet.
Part Two
Chapter 21
"We have hit a stumbling block with the weapons," Warren said.
"I'm guessin' that there is a lot of people who can't use em," I answered.
"How did you know?"
"The Makers over on Kresh use a tech like this," I said, "I found out that only about twenty five percent of the people they stuffed into the machines could make em work. I figured we would have even worse odds."
"In fact," he said, "We have a little better odds than that. About thirty percent of them were able to use it. It didn't slow the orders. The US is forming a cadre of Source gunners and incorporating it into their tactics."
"I'm glad they can still use em at all. I wanted to arm the whole world with the guns but I'll settle for what I can get."
"We've sent test parts to find which men can use the interface. They'll be ready to start training as the guns start rolling in."
"How soon can we get em shipped out?"
"Within the week, the first shipment starts going out from McMinnville."
"Good," I said, "How about the one overseas?"
"It goes online tomorrow, Sir."
"Excellent," I said, "Maybe I set em back enough to get us some more time. We need to speed it up as much as we can."
"I've got three shifts working seven days a week in McMinnville. We received the first payments on the US contra
ct and I bought another plant close to the first. It should be ready to start production before month's end."
"You're a Godsend, Warren," I said, "Don't know what we'd do without ya."
"You'd probably bankrupt yourself buying food."
"You're probably right," I said with a laugh.
"What did you mean when you said you set them back?"
"They had two Farrara'Ti who couldn't decide which was gonna try to take a piece of us. So we killed em both."
"I see," he said.
"It wasn't my fault."
He looked at me with one eyebrow raised.
"Why's everybody keep lookin at me like that?" I grumbled.
***
"More wings, please," I said to the waitress.
"It figures," she said, "Carol told me about you guys."
I was guessing that Carol was the waitress who had been there on our last visit to Hooters.
"How about the extra large gentlemen?" she asked, looking at Kharl and Dietrich Jaegher.
"Yep," Kharl said and Dietrich nodded to her.
"Thought so," she said, "How bout the rest of you?"
"I'll take another round," Trent said.
He and Mattie had adapted to their new Soulstreams quickly and were on the rolls as Mageguards. Both were working on their shield skills as much as possible.
"I brought you guys out to celebrate something I found out while I was over there," I said as the waitress headed back to the kitchen, "Well, several things, actually. One is a personal discovery, and the other is something that affects a lot of us."
"Spit it out," Kharl said.
"I learned there is a guy runnin around over there they call the Prophet of Rash'Tor'Ri. He is going from village to village and the people who live there follow him and disappear. We sent a couple of agents to find out what was going on. They found the Prophet and discovered that he is training an army over there in some hidden facility that the Kresh don't know anything about."
"He's not only training them, but showing them how to knot their Soulstreams."
"A Soulguard?" Dietrich asked.
"Not just any Soulguard either," I said, "We all know him. I'm goin to show you a memory from the agent's report."
I used my telepathy that seems to get stronger each year. I showed them an image of the Prophet as he turned around to face the agents.
"Son of a bitch!" Prada said.
"I'll second that," Kharl said with a smile, "He looks a little worse for wear, but it's Ric."
"He apparently didn't go unscathed but he's alive and kickin," I said.
"And of course, building an army in the center of hundreds of millions of Kresh," Kyra said, "He'll conquer the whole damn world if we don't hurry up and get done here."
I chuckled along with several of the others.
"I've instructed all of my people to help him and help hide those he protects."
"Good call, Son," Kharl said.
"Your people," Kyra said, "Means a lot more than it used to doesn't it?"
Mom is perceptive. She'd seen a difference in me almost as quickly as Lyrica had. I had never had a longing for anything but battle for most of my years.
"Yes it does," I said.
"There is another army building out there to join us as well. The 'people' I'm talkin about are a planet full of Humans that are joining the ranks of the Soulguard as fast as they can be trained. Which is pretty quick considering that the first of the recruits are telepathic. They'll learn at an astonishing rate and they can teach just as fast."
"While that is building," I said, "Kil'Sin'Deres is building the clans up by spreading the Mark to the smaller clans. He's growing my clans to be able to face the others and take Kresh."
"You've been busy," Dietrich said, "Can you trust the Kresh?"
"That's one of the things I can say for certain. They live by the Mark. They carry my Mark and they won't betray me. They're loyal."
"Actually," I said, "there's an easy way to show you. I'm goin to give you one of the info dumps like the Shak'Tar do. It's not harmful. You can literally relive what happened over there, though."
I used the telepathy again and let them see all that happened from the time I left to the time I returned to the glade in Montana.
"That's an interesting skill," Dietrich said, "Useful."
"I agree," I said, "Although it’s a little disconcerting when you're surrounded be telepathic people who do it all the time. Silent conversations and stuff. Sam has been bitchin, nonstop since he got to Cerres. 'Use your words, Dammit!' would echo across the square pretty regular."
"I could see that," Trent said with a grin.
"He's gonna have so much fun over there," Kharl laughed.
"You had to kick the hornet's nest, I see," Mattie said as she was watching the return trip home.
"It wasn't my fault."
She looked at me with one eyebrow raised.
"Why's everybody keep lookin at me like that?"
"I wonder," Trent said, "I have to say, the graffiti was a nice touch."
"I thought so."
"I guess the plan is to keep em lookin in our direction," Kharl said, "That'll do it."
"Any word on how that's playin out?" Dietrich asked.
"Not yet," I said, "Kil'Sin'Deres said he was about to go Mark both of their clans and pull out of the area. I'm hopin we get lucky with the next one to step in."
"Never thought I'd say this, but that Kil'Sin'Deres is a likable sort," Dietrich said.
"Yeah, it was so much easier to hate em all when they were a faceless horde of monsters," I said.
"I'm proud of what you've done, Son," Kyra said, "You've hated them with ample reason your whole life and you put it aside long enough to do something like this."
"Thanks, Mom," I said.
Lyrica squeezed my hand. She is the reason I can do what Kyra is talking about. When I'm with Lyrica, I don't want to be a monster and it influences every decision I have made since I joined my life with hers.
It really is easier to hate them all.
Chapter 22
It had been three months since I had gotten back from my trip through the rabbit hole and I still hadn't heard from the other side of the gate. I was beginning to worry. What if they had been caught? What if the Kresh were slaughtering my people on Cerres?
I shook my head and tried to clear my thoughts. I was out by the gate in the middle of the Dance of Blades. Otep was screaming in my ears and my rage was pouring out through my walls. I can bleed off a lot of rage while I practice but sometimes I get a little carried away.
Arcs of power slammed outward from my swords as they blurred with speed. Power hammered the earth all around the spot where the gate had opened twice before. If I could have opened it from this side I would have just to get at them.
I finally stopped and just stood there, staring into that spot. I looked down into the Source as I usually did while out here. I looked for some reason why it was this spot.
Kil'Sin'Deres had said they didn't know how to set the Great Gates to a different location. I wondered if that was because there was something unique about the spot. But I still could find no discernable difference from any other spot I have looked at.
Except, now, this spot was on fire.
I felt Pelin approaching. I could feel the caution she was taking. The Shak'Tar understand my rage more than anyone. They share a piece of it, themselves. We all have the Kresh DNA in our blood. What they don't have is the ability to touch that Source and kick that DNA in the ass. It has already changed me more than a normal Bloodborn changes in a lifetime.
"It's fine Pelin," I said, "My tantrum is done."
"We worry about you, Master," she said, "The Blood affects you more than it does most of us."
"I worry bout it too, Pelin," I said, "I just have to do the best I can until..."
"Until what?"
"Nevermind," I said, "It's just a pipe dream. What's goin on?"
"We have a report
from Hub," she said, "You have been worried of late and I thought you would like to know immediately."
"Kil'Sin'Deres Marked both clans that you removed their Farrara'Ti. He has moved them into the Cerres Facility and the surrounding buildings."
"Good," I said, "I'm glad he got out of the Earth Facility, or Doran, whichever you would rather call it."
"He also moved his clans into Hub and took a second facility," she said, "He took Fuegass and the small clan that was holding it. Now he must remain quiet for a short time so as not to draw more attention to them."
"I can see that," I said, "So we control the access to two other worlds, one of which, is controlled by my people."
"They have sent emissaries from Cerres to Fuegass. They will not Mark any Humans but they will begin to unify the population of that colony. Be warned, some may request to be Marked after they find out the whole truth about what is happening. I know you don't want this but it is something we will have to deal with."
"I understand," I said, "But I don't want anyone Marked until they have been given the knowledge to make that choice. I want them to see what freedom is before they just jump in with a new Master."
"It will be done, Master."
"Don't call me Master."
"Yes, Master," she said with a grin.
I just let out a long sigh that just caused a larger grin from Pelin.
"Anything from the Prophet?" I asked.
"The first groups of refugees he has pulled from the villages on Kresh have begun to arrive in Hub. They are beginning to funnel them into Cerres to keep them safe. After a time Fuegass will be available to them as well."
"It seems your friend is wasting no time," she said, "He has a group of nearly five hundred men and women who have knotted their streams as your Soulguard. They work with the Prophet to protect their charges."
"The man is dedicated," I said, "He sees people in need and he will help."
"Some of his people have come to Cerres and begun training with your group, there. Once he found out they were there, he be began sending them to Keller for their training. It freed him up to find more people and get them out of harm's way."
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